FOR THE EMOTIONALLY BATTERED FOSTER PARENT: Strategies and Techniques For Coping With Behaviorally Challenging Children

FOR THE EMOTIONALLY BATTERED FOSTER PARENT: Strategies and Techniques For Coping With Behaviorally Challenging Children

James and Sarah Stewart and Dr. Paul Thompson

"Several years ago we were speaking with a friend about the defiant and passive-aggressive behaviors of a foster daughter that were emotionally draining us. Our friend was genuinely sympathetic and said she was sorry that we were battered.

Her choice of the word battered startled us. We had never heard the term used in reference to a foster parent. However, it is certainly possible for the stronger, more powerful person in a relationship to be made uncomfortable, mistreated, or abused by a weaker person, even a child. If the mistreatment is on-going, with no improvement over time, or if it escalates, the recipient is indeed emotionally battered.

Through our family journey we have learned that even though parents and foster parents are expected to be the strong ones, the providers and nurturers, we have needs that must be recognized if we are to carry the family. By addressing these needs, we can improve the quality of life. We hope that at least a few of the suggested coping strategies will be relevant and helpful to each foster parent who reads this manual.

Many voices of other emotionally battered foster parents who have lived with the demands, challenges and pain speak from these pages of their experiences and adaptations. Special thanks to them."

The manual addresses:

The Definition: The Roots of Challenging Behavior: Questionnaire - Are You an Emotionally Battered Foster Parent?

Professional Help: Professional Diagnosis, Counseling, Medication.

Grieving: Stages of Grief.

Acceptance: Allow Negative Thoughts; Accepting Dysfunction; The "Serenity" Approach; Be a Realist; Accepting Censure.

Setting Boundaries: Personal Time Away from Your Child; Day to Day Privacy; Separate Family Outings; Boundaries Are Self Protection; Last Resort- Segmentation.

Additional Ways to Ease the Path: Break the Norman Rockwell Mold; Let Things Slide; Glossing; Slow Down Expectations for Solutions; Emotional Detachment; Peace in the Midst of Turmoil.

Considerations for Teen Years: The Teen Passage; Control/Power Struggles; Moving Toward Independence; Profanity; Pressing Unruly Charges.

Just For You: Redefining Yourself; Cultivate the New

A Silver Lining: Take Pride in Your Child; A Benefit; Look to the Future.

#9920 For the Emotionally Battered Foster Parent:
Strategies and Techniques For Coping With
Behaviorally Challenging Children, $7.50 Ea., 10+ Copies @$6.60 Ea.

#9921 For the Emotionally Battered Foster Parent: Trainer's Guide

To support and enhance the group training process, the Trainer's Guide provides:

information on adults as learners;
suggested training format;
specific trainer's tips in support of the workbook content;
a set of transparency masters for the overhead projector or as a guide for preparing flip charts;
a CD contaning the overhead masters in a PowerPoint presentation and a full color certificate of participation in .pdf format;
a generic invitation to the training and a certificate of completion along with an evaluation form both designed to be reproduced and used by the trainer - all integrated within the workbook's content.

In addition, a copy of the workbook #9920 is enclosed.

#9921 Trainer's Guide: $35.00